Henry vincent smith



(Ne Model.)

H. V. SMITH.

2 SheetsSheet 1.

MAGNETIC LOOK.

Patented July 5, 1892;

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, H. V. TH.

MAGNET 00K.

No. 478,245. Patented July 5, 1892.

\ Fey 6.

" Invvntor:

' NTED STATES HENRY VINCENT-SMITH, OF SOUTH YARRA,-NE AB MELBOURNE, VICTORIA.

MAGNETIC LOCK.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,245, dated July '5, 1892.

7 Application filed December 18, 1891 Serial 110.415.4530. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY VINCENT SMITH, gentleman, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain,-residing at No.33 Cunningham Street, South Yarra, near Melbourne, in the British Oolonyof Victoria, have invented a Magnetic Lock, principally applicable to doors, gates, boxes, and drawers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention consists of a magnetic lock, principally applicable to doors, gates, boxes, and drawers, and which will automatically lock itself when such doors, &c., are closed; and it consists in certain parts and combinations thereof hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a door, shown partly in section in order to illustrate one form of my magnetic lock, in which the magnet is fixed within the door and the catch within the doorjamb. Fig. 2 is a section through said lock, showing the catch in its unlocked positionthat is to say, as it would be before the door isclosed. Fig. 3 isasimilar view to Fig. 2, but showing said catch in its locked or engaged positionthat is to say, as it would be after the door is closed. Fig. 4 is a detached side elevation of a modified form of said catch. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a modification of my magnetic lock. Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but illustrating the catch as being pivotally supported at its lower end, instead of depending from a pivot at its upper end. Fig. 7shows another modification of my magnetic lock, which is specially adapted for a drawer. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another modification illustrating the employment of a sliding catch or bolt.

The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, A represents the permanent magnet, which is inserted within the door opposite to the pivoted or depending catch or tumbler B. This latter is preferably constructed of iron, though, if preferred, it can be made of some other material,

so long as it has a strip' or piece of iron secured .upon the side adjacent to the magnet A, as will be well understood. In either case when the door is closed the catch will be drawn by the magnet A into the recess C, as shown in Fig. 3, said recess being formed for the purpose in the door, the result being of course to effectually lock said door. The catch B is formed with a projecting arm or finger D, which is bent at right angles near its end and so constructed and arranged that it can be pushed back with the aid of a key, (indicated by dotted lines at E,) so as to withdraw or force the catch B .from engagement with the recess 0, overcoming the resistance of the magnet A, and thus releasing the door.

In order to prevent a knife from being slid down between the catch 13 and the magnet A, so as to push back said catch without using the key, I form the said catch with a notch or projection F on its forward edge, so that when said catch is in its projected or locked position said notch or projection will extend across the space between the door and its jamb, as illustrated in Fig. 3, thus forming an effectual stop to the downward-passage of a knife or similar implement.

The catch or tumbler B must be pivotally supported in such a manner as to give it a tendency to remain in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, although, if preferred, a spiral or other spring may be employed for retu rning said catch or tumbler into this position. Instead of the finger D, the catch B may be provided with an oval-shaped hole or recess D, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the key E being inserted within said hole or recess and turned round into the position indicated in dotted lines in said figure, in order to unlock or withdraw the catch B. This latter may be formed with a projecting portion 6, as shown in Fig. 4, instead of its front edge being straight, and, if preferred, it can be pivoted at its'lower end, as illustrated in Fig. 6, instead of depending from its upper end. This projection 12 is only for the purpose of giving a greater hold or bite to the catch.

If preferred, the catch B can be made with a projecting loop D, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and a spindle 6, having a projecting crosspiece or double arm E, may bepassed through either the door or door-jamb, as the case may be, said cross-piece or double arm being arranged to bear against the back of the loop D to enable the catch B to be withdrawn by turning said spindle e in either direction.

A knob or handle is provided on one or both of .the ends of said spindle to enable it to be turned in either direction when it is required to open the door. The spring 6 serves to return the spindle e to its normal position. In order that the catch B may be locked in its projected or engaged position, I mount a cam G behind the loop D and form a sided recess 9 in said cam at about the place where said cam is centered or supported, said recess being adapted to receive the correspondinglysided end of a key, whereby said cam can either be turned back into its withdrawn position, as shown in Fig. 5, or can be turned round, so that it bears against the back of the loop D, and thus holds the catch B in its proected position. With this arrangement the door will be latched automatically as soon as it is closed, and can then be opened only by turning the spindle awhile if the cam G is turned into its locking position the door can only be unfastened by first inserting a key into the recess gin the cam G and turning said cam back into the position shown in Fig. 5.

\Vhen my magnetic lock is to be applied to a drawer or other similar article of furniture, I prefer to pivot the catch B at about its center, as illustrated in Fig. 7, and to arrange the magnet A so that when the drawer is closed it will draw down the end of said catch into engagement with the recess 0, the opposite end of the catch B being of course made sufficiently heavy to normally hold said catch in its horizontal position. A key E is provided to enable the free end of the catch B to be pushed down in order to raise the opposite end out of engagement with the recess 0 whenever it is required to open the drawer.

In lieu of using pivoted catches, as above course being strong enough to overcome the resistance of the spring I).

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In a magnetic lock, the combination, with the permanent magnet, of the pivoted latch and means on said latch whereby it may be actuated by a key, substantially as set forth.

2. In a magnetic lock, the combination of a permanent magnet, the pivoted latch adapted to be drawn into recess by action of said magnet, and means on said catch whereby the same may be disengaged from said magnet and recess, substantially as set forth.

3. In a magnetic lock, the combination of the latch and a notch in the upper end of said latch, adapted to prevent the insertion of a knife or analogous device between the latch and magnet to disengage the said latch from the magnet, substantially as set forth.

at. In a magnetic lock, the combination, with the permanent magnet, of the pivoted latch having a loop, means operating within said loop to move the pivoted latch away from the magnet, and a cam adapted to be operated by a key to secure the latch in a locked position, substantially as set forth.

IIENRY VINCENT SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDWARD \VA'rERs, EDWIN WILsoN. 

